


I’m better

by helpme_getalife



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-19
Updated: 2020-08-19
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:47:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25984639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helpme_getalife/pseuds/helpme_getalife
Summary: Billy is better. He’s so better.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove
Kudos: 78





	I’m better

Billy Hargrove is better than Steve Harrington in every single way. He’s stronger; he’s taller; he’s faster; the student body listens to Billy; he’s got better endurance; he has girls chasing after him and Harrington doesn’t; Steve Harrington is an ugly kind of innocence, Billy isn’t; and Billy’s better looking. Except those are all lies. 

Steve Harrington is stronger than Billy. He can see it in the way Harrington holds back when he hits Billy. He can see it in the way Harrington keeps his anger in check. He sees it in the way Harrington could’ve easily won but goes limp instead.

Steve Harrington is taller than Billy by one inch. It’s not a lot, but it’s enough. 

Steve Harrington is faster than Billy. He is light on his feet. He can move around easily and his long limbs take him anyway. He moves faster than Billy ever will be. He can plant his feet when he wants to. Billy’s seen it, in the halls.

Steve Harrington is still King of Hawkins. Or maybe he isn’t, but students listen to him. They treat him better than they treat Billy. Either in fear of being blackmailed, they respect him, or they’re scared of him. All are possible. With Harrington everything is possible. The basketball team follows Harrington’s instructions, and the coaches wait for Harrington to come before they make game plans. 

Steve Harrington can run three times as many laps as Billy. In practice he doesn’t look warm out until about 20 laps in, unlike the other guys who get exhausted at 8. The only reason Harrington doesn’t keep going is because the coach calls it off.

Steve Harrington set state record in two different sports. He’s not better than Billy though.

Billy has girls who want him. But they just want him for sex, which unfortunately, he can’t get his dick to work for that. Harrington has girls and _boys_ who want him. Want him for _him_ ; want him for sex, cuddles, just Harrington in general. People want Harrington more than they want him.

Steve Harrington is not ugly, and he isn’t innocent. Billy sees the Bambi look in his eyes leave the second he thinks everyone is done paying attention to him. Instead of the puppy eyes, that readable shit that most people melt at, theirs void eyes. They’re almost like Neils, but they aren’t mean, and they aren’t directed at Billy. 

His eyes seem more real like that. The expressive shit doesn’t work for Harrington like it works on others. But the puppy eyes are a mask for Harrington. Billy understands it.

Steve Harrington can charm and smile, which would look a whole lot better without the woodland creature eyes, but it still melts girls hearts, and gets them to swoon. Makes Billy swoon. His hair is better than Billy’s ever will.

Steve Harrington makes Billy's heart beat like the rain. Even if Steve doesn’t look at him like he’s worth anything with the mask firmly in place, doesn’t look at Billy with anything except whatever he’s hiding. 

Steve Harrington is the last person Billy apologizes to. They sort of become friends after that. Steve keeps him close after that; has an arm over his shoulder at all times in the halls. 

Steve looks at Billy like he hung the stars. Soon enough Steve drops the mask around Billy and they make jokes and smoke with each other. Other students aren’t so scared of Billy anymore, because Steve settles them and hugs him everyday. 

Steve Harrington makes it so people trust Billy. Tommy and Steve make up. They all make jokes and Carol paints Steve’s nails black. Somehow, Steve convinces him and soon he has a coat of polish too. He doesn’t get shit from anyone. And he hides it from Neil pretty well.

Girls aren’t after him as much as before. They’re after Steve, it makes him sad. Steve has any girl he could pick from. He would never choose Billy. Steve doesn’t like guys. Not in the way Billy does.

The mask is dropped permanently. Carol says it’s about time. At the next party it’s official that the King has returned. Spin the bottle is played and Steve kisses a bunch of girls. Steve Harrington is a better kisser than Billy. 

At Christmas Neil kicks Billy out. He ends up staying the break over at Steve's house. Tommy and Carol spend some nights too. They all talk. It’s almost...nice. They all cook and make a mess. They’re stomachs hurt by the end of the day.

In late January Max comes up to him and says she knows. About the Neil thing. She hugs him tight and his eyes feel wet. No tears escape, but it’s close. He buries his face in her hair and tries not to let the shudders escape. 

Valentine's Day soon arrives and Steve Harrington is out of Billy’s league. It was obvious from the get-go. But from the thousands of cards falling out of Steve’s locker proves it. He leaves early that day, skips the moment he doesn’t find Steve.

Neil kicks him out in the middle of a blizzard. A blizzard in April. He ends up at Steve’s. He gets warm cups of cocoa and a heavy blanket. They huddle on the couch and watch movies. 

He punches someone. They get in a few good punches, until Steve pulls them away from each other and gives them both a long lecture. He’s disappointed in Billy. And it hurts more than anything Neil has done or his mom leaving has done.

Instead of slapping Billy the second they’re at Steve's house, he washes Billy’s knuckles and bandages them with such care. He tucks Billy in, and kisses his forehead when he thinks Billy is sleeping. Like he’s worthy.

When he wakes up the next morning he’s quite literally wrapped around Steve. When Steve wakes up, it’s not awkward. Steve goes on like nothing ever happened. Billy never brings up the kiss.

Two nights later Neil finds Billy making breakfast and tries to drag him away; away from Steve. He doesn’t succeed. Steve has a long talk with his father on the poach, most of which Billy doesn’t hear. 

When he comes back in, without Neil, Billy decides to make his move. He pulls back, ready to run, until a hand grips his jaw again and kisses him softly. Licks into his mouth and wraps an arm around his waist. When they pull apart they’re dazed and grinning widely.

Max comes with Billy to Steve’s house one time. Stays with him while he’s kicked out. Neil definitely tries to take her home. Steve has another long talk with him on the porch. Neither Billy, not Max hear it. They’re busy playing cards.

Neil leaves and the room feels lighter. Later that night, Steve and Billy lay together on Steve’s big soft bed and kiss softly. Steve mutters sweet things to him. Tells Billy he’s beautiful and he’s pretty. Calls him sunflower in Italian and kisses his nose and his checks. 

Billy Hargrove is not better than Steve Harrington.

But every time they kiss, he thinks maybe he is.


End file.
